After refusing to cooperate at committee, ArriveCan contractor Kristian Firth was called to the bar of the House and asked if he’s “willing to go to jail” for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Firth of Ontario-based firm GC Strategies Inc., named names and said the whole ArriveCan fiasco could have been avoided, according to Blacklock’s Reporter. GC Strategies “could have been stopped” at any time as it billed Canadian taxpayers $19.1 million for the failing ArriveCan project, said Firth Wednesday during his two hours in parliament. Firth, the first federal contractor in 111 years to be cited for contempt of parliament, testified he was wined and dined with fancy dinners and drinks by federal officials to discuss lucrative deals.“Does Mr. Firth think the prime minister or liberal cabinet ministers should be at the bar answering questions today instead of himself, or is he willing to go to jail for them?” asked Conservative MP Larry Brock. “I am not even sure what the question is,” replied Firth.Speaker Greg Fergus had opened the session by formally censuring Firth.“You are attending the bar of the House for being found in contempt for your refusal to answer certain questions and for prevaricating in your answers to other questions before the Standing Committee on Government Operations,” said Fergus.“I am being admonished. I am making history right now. I think I’ve acknowledged I’ve made mistakes,” replied Firth. “We did as we were told,” said Firth, adding he “cannot comment on why somebody picked up the phone in a government organization and made a call.”“We invoiced monthly. At any time we could have been stopped. This wasn’t that we were given $20 million and then walked away and built an app. This was not our app. We were paid to recruit and find resources who built the app.”“We were picked. We didn’t solicit.”“It is flattering to be a recognized person to provide requirements and help for the federal government,” said Firth. “Very flattering indeed,” remarked Conservative MP Garnett Genuis.“According to committee testimony Mr. Firth received $2,600 per hour spent working on Arrive-scam.”“That is substantially more than the earnings of an average NHL player. Very flattering that they came to him for advice. Very flattering that he was paid so much.”“Aren’t you ashamed?” asked Green MP Elizabeth May.“Do I have to answer that?” replied Firth. “Yes, you do,” said Fergus. “No, I am not ashamed,” replied Firth..Firth confirmed RCMP on Tuesday raided his home office in Woodlawn, ON. “There was a search warrant, not an arrest warrant, for my property to obtain electronic goods,” he said.“There are six points on the search warrant. I think they weren’t very specific to any specific allegation but from previous testimony I am understanding it was fraudulent billing and résumé fraud.”“Did Mr. Firth review the content of the search warrant executed on his house?” asked Brock.“I skimmed through the six pages, yes,” replied Firth.Records show Firth’s company, a two-man operation working from his home in Woodlawn, received 118 separate federal contracts with payments totalling $107.7 million. The company typically subcontracted work after deducting commissions at up to 30%. Auditors to date have identified numerous irregularities involving Firth’s contracts. The Procurement Ombudsman in a January 29 report noted in one instance in 2022 GC Strategies was awarded a $25.3 million Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) contract on exclusive terms it helped write. Firth at the bar named then-CBSA manager Diane Daly as his personal contact on the deal.He said he also had private meetings with Paul Girard, former chief information officer at the Treasury Board and Philippe Johnston, chief information officer at the National Research Council. Meetings occurred at coffee shops on Metcalfe Street in Ottawa or a local restaurant Baton Rouge, he said.“Mr. Firth has made connections and met with public servants for over a decade, wining and dining them for contracts,” said Conservative MP Stephanie Kusie.“Officials became comfortable with the system. Officials allowed Mr. Firth to charge millions because they weren’t willing to follow the rules.”“Who are you protecting in this corrupt system?” asked Kusie. “I am not protecting anybody,” replied Firth. “I am just going about my business like an IT staffing firm does.”Firth on Wednesday was asked 139 questions, between which he would whisper to his attorney. Firth claimed to be under a doctor’s care and was “diagnosed with having acute mental health flare-ups,” his attorney said. Government House Leader Steven MacKinnon said he considered it improper since Firth claimed to be under a doctor’s care. Opposition MPs noted Firth made similar medical claims in avoiding committee summonses over the past seven months.“We do not believe it is appropriate to question Mr. Firth if he is not medically able to participate,” said MacKinnon. “Forcing someone against medical advice to do something a doctor believes could harm their treatment and recovery is indeed beneath the dignity of this place.”“You’re a bunch of heartless people,” shouted one Liberal MP.No Liberal MPs questioned Firth.Firth denied paying any bribes or kickbacks to federal managers. “We don’t give gifts and do bribes to win contracts,” he said.“Does Mr. Firth have a number in mind for the value of gifts in kind or money offered to public servants in exchange for contracts?” asked Bloc Québécois MP Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné. “Yes, that number is zero,” replied Firth.“Mr. Firth never paid for a coffee, restaurant meal, golf game, a whiskey tasting despite everything we heard at committee?” asked Sinclair-Desgagné.“I have admitted I would go out and I would invite government employees to lunches, to coffee,” replied Firth.“This is a good example of a contradiction,” said Sinclair-Desgagné. “We went from saying the amount was zero to admitting indeed there were dinners, golf games, whiskey tastings with dozens of federal public servants.”“I’ll repeat my question,” said Sinclair-Desgagné. “What’s the number, whether in kind or in cash? What was the amount given to federal public servants?”“The first question was specific to what was given to receive contracts by government employees,” replied Firth. “That’s why I said it was zero. Once the contract had been awarded through regular procurement practices they became a client and we would have frequent meetings to check on the health of the project, whether that was over lunch or whether that was during coffee.”
After refusing to cooperate at committee, ArriveCan contractor Kristian Firth was called to the bar of the House and asked if he’s “willing to go to jail” for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Firth of Ontario-based firm GC Strategies Inc., named names and said the whole ArriveCan fiasco could have been avoided, according to Blacklock’s Reporter. GC Strategies “could have been stopped” at any time as it billed Canadian taxpayers $19.1 million for the failing ArriveCan project, said Firth Wednesday during his two hours in parliament. Firth, the first federal contractor in 111 years to be cited for contempt of parliament, testified he was wined and dined with fancy dinners and drinks by federal officials to discuss lucrative deals.“Does Mr. Firth think the prime minister or liberal cabinet ministers should be at the bar answering questions today instead of himself, or is he willing to go to jail for them?” asked Conservative MP Larry Brock. “I am not even sure what the question is,” replied Firth.Speaker Greg Fergus had opened the session by formally censuring Firth.“You are attending the bar of the House for being found in contempt for your refusal to answer certain questions and for prevaricating in your answers to other questions before the Standing Committee on Government Operations,” said Fergus.“I am being admonished. I am making history right now. I think I’ve acknowledged I’ve made mistakes,” replied Firth. “We did as we were told,” said Firth, adding he “cannot comment on why somebody picked up the phone in a government organization and made a call.”“We invoiced monthly. At any time we could have been stopped. This wasn’t that we were given $20 million and then walked away and built an app. This was not our app. We were paid to recruit and find resources who built the app.”“We were picked. We didn’t solicit.”“It is flattering to be a recognized person to provide requirements and help for the federal government,” said Firth. “Very flattering indeed,” remarked Conservative MP Garnett Genuis.“According to committee testimony Mr. Firth received $2,600 per hour spent working on Arrive-scam.”“That is substantially more than the earnings of an average NHL player. Very flattering that they came to him for advice. Very flattering that he was paid so much.”“Aren’t you ashamed?” asked Green MP Elizabeth May.“Do I have to answer that?” replied Firth. “Yes, you do,” said Fergus. “No, I am not ashamed,” replied Firth..Firth confirmed RCMP on Tuesday raided his home office in Woodlawn, ON. “There was a search warrant, not an arrest warrant, for my property to obtain electronic goods,” he said.“There are six points on the search warrant. I think they weren’t very specific to any specific allegation but from previous testimony I am understanding it was fraudulent billing and résumé fraud.”“Did Mr. Firth review the content of the search warrant executed on his house?” asked Brock.“I skimmed through the six pages, yes,” replied Firth.Records show Firth’s company, a two-man operation working from his home in Woodlawn, received 118 separate federal contracts with payments totalling $107.7 million. The company typically subcontracted work after deducting commissions at up to 30%. Auditors to date have identified numerous irregularities involving Firth’s contracts. The Procurement Ombudsman in a January 29 report noted in one instance in 2022 GC Strategies was awarded a $25.3 million Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) contract on exclusive terms it helped write. Firth at the bar named then-CBSA manager Diane Daly as his personal contact on the deal.He said he also had private meetings with Paul Girard, former chief information officer at the Treasury Board and Philippe Johnston, chief information officer at the National Research Council. Meetings occurred at coffee shops on Metcalfe Street in Ottawa or a local restaurant Baton Rouge, he said.“Mr. Firth has made connections and met with public servants for over a decade, wining and dining them for contracts,” said Conservative MP Stephanie Kusie.“Officials became comfortable with the system. Officials allowed Mr. Firth to charge millions because they weren’t willing to follow the rules.”“Who are you protecting in this corrupt system?” asked Kusie. “I am not protecting anybody,” replied Firth. “I am just going about my business like an IT staffing firm does.”Firth on Wednesday was asked 139 questions, between which he would whisper to his attorney. Firth claimed to be under a doctor’s care and was “diagnosed with having acute mental health flare-ups,” his attorney said. Government House Leader Steven MacKinnon said he considered it improper since Firth claimed to be under a doctor’s care. Opposition MPs noted Firth made similar medical claims in avoiding committee summonses over the past seven months.“We do not believe it is appropriate to question Mr. Firth if he is not medically able to participate,” said MacKinnon. “Forcing someone against medical advice to do something a doctor believes could harm their treatment and recovery is indeed beneath the dignity of this place.”“You’re a bunch of heartless people,” shouted one Liberal MP.No Liberal MPs questioned Firth.Firth denied paying any bribes or kickbacks to federal managers. “We don’t give gifts and do bribes to win contracts,” he said.“Does Mr. Firth have a number in mind for the value of gifts in kind or money offered to public servants in exchange for contracts?” asked Bloc Québécois MP Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné. “Yes, that number is zero,” replied Firth.“Mr. Firth never paid for a coffee, restaurant meal, golf game, a whiskey tasting despite everything we heard at committee?” asked Sinclair-Desgagné.“I have admitted I would go out and I would invite government employees to lunches, to coffee,” replied Firth.“This is a good example of a contradiction,” said Sinclair-Desgagné. “We went from saying the amount was zero to admitting indeed there were dinners, golf games, whiskey tastings with dozens of federal public servants.”“I’ll repeat my question,” said Sinclair-Desgagné. “What’s the number, whether in kind or in cash? What was the amount given to federal public servants?”“The first question was specific to what was given to receive contracts by government employees,” replied Firth. “That’s why I said it was zero. Once the contract had been awarded through regular procurement practices they became a client and we would have frequent meetings to check on the health of the project, whether that was over lunch or whether that was during coffee.”
